Registration Office

Nil Points - nightmare wedding - avoid at all costs - absolutely horrible experience! Staff were unwelcoming/ antagonistic from the start: curtly refused to show us the ceremony room before booking (drab and with the same old green leather chairs as in the scruffy waiting room), sent us a letter after we'd paid telling us to dress in warm/waterproof clothing and bring an umbrella as the wedding party would have to wait outside before the ceremony (toilets and waiting room would be closed to us on wedding day although we had used them the day before when giving notice), wouldn't let us use the car park, said it was only for staff and we'd have to park in a nearby street (but Facebook pictures show a previous couple had parked there) and hardly bothered to play our music. The photo area hadn't been swept and was covered in dirty old plastic confetti and dead leaves. Staff gave us a side table to sign the schedule on instead of the nice centre table in the window that Facebook photos show previous couples had used so we couldn't take any traditional forward-facing photos. A member of staff noisily slammed open the fire door in the middle of our ceremony to admit a self-centred latecomer on a mobility scooter - she made absolutely no effort to do it quietly or to ask him to come in quietly - the staff had arranged beforehand with the man's wife to let him in during our ceremony but we knew nothing about it as they hadn't discussed it with us - or we wouldn't have started the 'ceremony'. The celebrant (Deputy Superintendent Registrar) then made it even worse by incredibly stopping the ceremony and leaving us standing at the front of the room looking like two spare parts, while she gave the latecomer a BIG welcome. She shrieked at him that his noisy arrival in the middle of our ceremony was "Perfect timing, absolutely perfect timing", had a joke and a laugh with him about whether we could get married, gave him a big thumbs up sign (very offensive) and said, "Thank goodness" when he gave an idiotic, attention-seeking reply, turned and laughed to the registrar about his stupid reply and asked him several times if he was comfortable - before deciding to get back to us! She took a group photo at the end in which she made the latecomer the centre of attention. Our wedding was a complete shambles which is on video! Staff were downright unpleasant from the off when we complained: treated us with total contempt, showed no empathy at all, didn't offer even a token apology or try to rectify the situation. They sent high-handed emails insisting they had offered to delay the ceremony to wait for the latecomer but we had refused and had told them to bring him into the ceremony room - complete and utter nonsense - absolutely UNTRUE! They ignored anything we told them and then said they wouldn't communicate with us any further. They said the staff are only there to say the words that marry a couple and not to do anything else for you - but Lancashire council's brochure, 'Your Perfect Day' promises that the staff will do everything they can to "make your day everything you dream of" and that they welcome feedback! The boss of the department rudely accused us of wasting council time by complaining.
Apr 28th, 2023

So lovely and friendly registering the birth of our first born. Obviously serious questions and details to be completed but superb efficient and timely. Thank you
Oct 29th, 2022

We had our wedding here last week and it was perfect! Every single member of staff we spoke to throughout the process was friendly, and welcoming, putting us at ease. The two ladies who performed our ceremony were wonderful! They created a relaxed atmosphere and took us through the ceremony step by step. They also managed to accommodate three wheelchair users without fuss. The area at the back for photographs is lovely, the autumn colours are beautiful in our pictures.
Oct 20th, 2022

Mar 13th, 2022

It was beautiful. X
Mar 8th, 2022